Feeding device for horsehair-spinning machines.



N. FRANK.

- FEEDING DEVICE FOR HORSEHAIR SPINNING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 1912.

1,095,098. Patented A1511. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN CO.,WASHINGTON. 04 c.

N. FRANK. FEEDING DEVICE FOR HORSEHAIR SPINNING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1912.

1,095,098, h Patented Apr. 28, 191i 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORBERT FRANK, OF FORST, LUSATIA, GERMANY.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR HOR-SEHAIR-SPINNING MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NORBERT FRANK, a subjectof the King of Bavaria, residing at F orst, in Lusatia, Germany, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Devices forHorsehair- Spinning lJlachines; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to means for withdrawing one or more hairs from abundle of horse-hair and feeding the same to a feeding device forspinning or other machines.

It has heretofore been proposed to remove single hairs from a bundle ofhorse-hair by means of fingers mounted on a continuously rotating disk,so that the ends of said fingers describe the arc of a small circlethrough the bundle, with the result that the action was not certain, andthat tangling of the hairs often resulted, so that for rapid operationsuch a mechanism was entirely unsuitable. In the present structure thefingers have the movement of a flat arc, i. e. an arc of smallcurvature, and their action is certain, thereby attaining a uniformfeed.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are similarly designatedFigure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of one form of the device.Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing theposition of the fingers after having released the hair or hairs thathave been withdrawn from the bundle. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1of a modification. Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates otherpositions of the fingers shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofa further modification. Fig. 8 is a plan thereof. Fig. 9 shows amodification of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the horse-hair having its end n projectingfrom the bottom of an inclined trough Z is held in proper relation tothe fingers for pulling the hair from the bundle. This trough is out 01fat an angle at 25 and has a slot- 26 through which passes a cord orother flexible binder 27 that is connected to means for placing ayielding pressure on the hair. This means, in the present instance,comprises a spring 28 connected to hook 29 on the end of a Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Serial No. 689,368.

screw bolt m that is longitudinally adjustable in the bent end of abracket 30 by means of a thumbnut 31, or otherwise. This bracket30 issecured to and supports the trough l.

Extending from the frame F of the ma chine is a standard 32 having athreaded bolt 33 at its upper end, provided with two nuts 34 which holdthe bracket 30, and trough Z at the proper height, and also serve asmeans for adjusting the height of the trough and ends of the hair withrespect to the fingers.

Just below the port-ion 25 of the trough Z is a pair of curved guideplates 71, secured to the frame F by the nuts 71 and separated from oneanother to form a slot is having an enlarged entrance is, Fig. 2. Backof these curved guide plates is a pair of spaced vertical guides r, rsecured to the frame F. Mounted in the frame F is a shaft 35 carrying adouble cone roller k (apices juxtaposited') and cooperating therewithand in frictional driving relation thereto is a complementary doublecone roller k, (bases juxtaposited) whose shaft 36 is mounted in arms 7)pivoted to the frame F at 37. The roller h is yieldingly held againstroller k by springs 9 connected at one end to the arms and at theirother ends to a screw or other fastening in the frame F.

The shaft 35 carries a gear wheel 0 that meshes with a similar gearwheel a on shaft 38 mounted in a bearing 39 on a bracket 40. This shaftcarries a crank disk Z2 having a fingers d. The fingers are preferablymade of spring metal welded together or otherwise united at their rearends a? where the pin 0 passes through them. These fingers are alsoprovided with a slot 9 through which passes a stationary guide pin f instandard f secured to bracket 40. The forward ends of the fingers d arebent toward one another at e, and are vertically guided under allconditions of operation between the spaced vertical guides r, r.

Slidable on rails 41 in the frame F is a block 8 or the like, carrying afunnel-shaped delivery device 2?. The delivery device can, therefore, bemoved beneath the nip of the rolls h and h as circumstances may require.

Power is preferably, but not necessarily applied to the shaft 35 in anysuitable manner, and motion is transmitted therefrom by gear wheels 0and a to shaft 38, toro'tate the crank disk 5. As this disk rotates thefingers (Z pivot and slide on the stationary pin f and are moved intothe enlarged entrance 7a of slot 70. The slot 70 is dimensionedrelatively to the ends of the fingers to press them together to seize ahair from the projecting ends in the bundle lying .against the guides2'. The fingers move upwardly toward the bundle from the full lineposition' Fig. 1, to the dotted line position Fig. 1, whereupon the ends6 move downward beyond the guides i until the end of the hair has beenseized by the rolls h h when they move inwardly through the slot 7: Fig.3, and spring apart, the guides 1 r limiting the lateral movement of theends of the arms. The rolls deliver the hair to the funnel-shaped guidet and to the spinning machine.

In Figs. 4 to 7 I have shown the fingers movable in horizontal parallellines instead of inclined, and the projecting ends of the hairs 11substantially vertical. The rolls are indicated at h and h, the roll 71.being provided with a belt or chain wheel 42 driving by belt or chain 43a wheel 44 on a shaft 45 mounted in a bracket 46. Shaft 45 carries apinion 47 meshing with gear wheels 48 and 49, one on each side thereof.These gear wheels 48 and 49 are on shafts 9 and 9 in bracket 46. Theshafts 9 and 9 carry crank disks 6 and 6 respectively having crank pins5 and 5.

The fingers 2 are provided with two slots 4 and 4 in which enter thecrank pins 5 and 5 respectively. Each finger is provided with a stop 7and 7 adapted to be urged against the vertical guides 3 and 3. Theseguides 3 and 3 are separated from one another to form a slot 8 having anenlarged entrance. A spring 10 connected at one end to 9 and at theother end to a pin 8 in the rear end of the fingers urges the stops 7, 7against the guides 8, 3. The slots4 and 4 are of a length about equal tothe eccentricity of the crank pins 5 and 5. In this construction thefingers 2 are maintained horizontal and seize a hair from the bundle 11,draw it down vertically toward the rolls h and h and then move in acurved path upwardly to their initial position. The path of the ends ofthe fingers is indicated at P in dotted lines. This path is described byreason of the crank pins sliding in slots 4 and 4 during the first halfrotation of the crank disks 6 and 6, the spring 10 maintaining the stops7 and 7 against the guides 3, 3, the pins 5 and 5 carrying the fingersdown while urged by the spring 10. During the second half of therotation of the disks the pins engage the right hand ends of the slots,Fig. 6, and effect the upward movement of the ends of the fingers in acurved path back of the guides 3, '3.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated the fingers 2 as moving in inclinedlines with respect to the guides 3, 3. The ends 0 of the fingers passbetween the guides and the anti.- friction rollers 18, acting in themanner of the stops 7, 7, prevent the fingers from being projected toofar beyond the guides 3, 3 by their urging spring 14. This spring is a.leaf spring engaging the rear end of the fingers 2. The fingers areprovided with two slots 13 and 17 in which enter the pins 12 and 1G. Thepin 16 is on the crank disk 15 on shaft 50 that carries the gear wheel22 and belt or sprocket wheel 51. The gear wheel 22 meshes with the gearwheel 22 on shaft 52 that carries a cam 19 on which, at its center, ispin 12. The rear end of the fingers carries a roller 20 in the path ofthe cam 19. The fingers are slidable in relation to pin 1.2 and pivotabout it, while the pin 16 effects the swing of these fingers on .12 asa pivot. The spring 14 urges the fingers forward during one half arotation of crank disk 15 until the ends 0 of the fingers execute theirmovement from their upper to their lower position, after which cam 19engages roller 20 to move the fingers from be tween the guides 3, Pduring their upward movement.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9 the swing of the fingers instead ofbeing effected directly by the crank pin 16, Fig. 7 is accomplished by acrank disk 28, having a crank pin 24 and connecting rod 25 pivotallyconnected to the fingers at 25.

It will be noted that the horse hair in all the forms shown is held in astationary bundle, and the direction of movement of the fingers whenseizing a hair is substantially perpendicular to the hair at the pointof engagement thereof by the fingers. It is also of advantage to havethe fingers when passing through the bundle of hair (operative movement)describe as fiat an are as possible, and preferably to draw the hairtherefrom in as near a straight line as possible, after which the idlemovement may take place in any desired path.

I claim:

1. The combination with means for holding a bundle of hairs; of fingersmade of spring metal normally separated at their forward ends,stationary guides in close proximity to said bundles adapted to engagethe forward ends of said fingers, a crank on which the fingers arepivotally mounted, and a pivot between the crank and gripping end of thefingers on which the fingers are slidably mounted, said crank and pivotcooperating to move the forward ends of the fingers along the guide in aclosed path.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pairof guides, springfingers cooperating with and closed by said guides,stops on the fingers to limit their movement between the guides, a crankto swing the fingers, a pin about which the fingers pivot, said fingersbeing in sliding relation to the pivot, and means to urge the stopsagainst the guides, whereby the ends of said fingers will havesubstantially rectilinear movement for one half of their path ofmovement and curvilinear movement for the other half thereof.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pairof guides; of spring fingers, stops at their forward ends, a spring tourge the fingers between the guides and the stops against the guides, acrank pin engaging in a slot in the fingers, and a second pin engagingin a second slot in the fingers, said pins effecting the movement of thefingers in relation to the guides.

i. In a device of the class described, in combination a fixed holderadapted to contain the fibers, a pair of guides at the end of theholder, a pair of rotatable members mounted contiguous to the guides,spring fingers slidably mounted on the rotatable members and adapted tobe projected between the guides by the rotation of said members, stopson the fingers to limit their movement between the guides, and yieldingmeans to hold the stops against the guides, whereby the ends of saidfingers will have rectilinear movement away from the holder andcurvilinear movement toward the latter.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination a fixed holderadapted to contain the fibers, a pair of guides at the end of theholder, a pair of spring fingers, means to actuate the fingers inparallel longitudinal lines toward and from the holder, stops on thefingers arranged to engage the guides to limit the forward movement ofthe fingers, and yielding means to hold the stops against the guideswhereby said fingers are moved longitudinally of the guides by saidactuating means.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a fixed containerfor the fibers, a pair of gears mounted adjacent the container, anintermediate gear between said gears meshing therewith, crank pins onsaid gears, spring fingers having longitudinal slots through which saidpins project, guides mounted between the fingers and container, a springto urge the fingers between the guides and stops on the fingers adaptedto engage the guides, for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORBERT FRANK.

Witnesses WVOLDEMAR I-IAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

